A NEW AVATAR OF MODI-LED BHAJPA!

Janata Janardan is eagerly waiting for the Chief Ministerial faces in three key states where results of the Assembly elections were announced recently. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) made a clean sweep in 3 out of 4 major states, in a big boost for Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of a national election due by May. Parking all the speculations, chit-chats, gossips and social media trends, Bhajpa is going ‘THE MODI WAY’. The ‘New Age’ BJP led by Modi is thinking out-of-the-box and is keen on giving opportunities to fresh leadership with secrecy and surprise — as their mottos for choosing Chief Ministers.

Interestingly, BJP’s ‘Star Campaigner’ Modi garnered all the votes during Assembly elections in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh and needless to say, BJP was not at all at loss by not projecting a Chief Ministerial candidate in all the 3 states. From the election campaignings till the results and now....the surprise and suspense looms large.

In one of his first Rajasthan rallies, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said that “umeed aur umeedwar (hope and candidate) is one and only kamal (lotus, the party symbol)” suggesting that no one was bigger than the party. The backdrop of the BJP victory calls for a new face in the hot seat in Jaipur who will readily be a protégé of Modi in governance. With “Modi ki Guarantee” having been offered by the PM himself on the campaign trail, it is only natural that he will keep a close watch on the affairs of the state to ensure that voters aren’t left disappointed and the party is on a strong footing for future elections.

BJP’s performance was better than widely expected as opinion and exit polls had suggested a close contest between Modi’s party and Congress. Modi remains widely popular after a decade in power and surveys suggest he will win again next year.

Meanwhile, 5 days after the assembly election results, the BJP on Friday named central observers for electing the leaders of its legislature parties in the 3 states amid indications that new Chief Ministers may be named over the weekend.

While several names doing the rounds should be taken as “kite-flying” or intelligent guessing, it may be safely concluded that the nominee will be someone with age on their side for at least the next 10-15 years to helm the affairs of the party in the state.

Further, only the top three in the BJP — Narendra Modi, Amit Shah and JP Nadda — know who the ultimate choice is.

THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY THE AUTHOR ARE PERSONAL

Moni Sharma The writer is Editor, News at First India